Burning Gem
by Akela Victoire
Summary: What would happen if Bloom and Diaspro decided to try and settle their differences over the Day of the Royals incident? With them as allies, a whole new Winx Club emerges and Magix will never be the same again...
1. Prologue

_**Author's Note:** I've been wanting to write a fic like this for a rather long while. I think Bloom and Diaspro could have been friends- or at the very least, allies if they'd just agree to drop Sky and move on with their lives..._

Also, this will be the only chapter in first person format, alternating between Bloom first, then Diaspro. All the others will be in third person.

* * *

I couldn't believe my eyes.

I really could _not _believe it.

I felt my heart sink when I realised what was happening in front of me, What I had just found out.

Brandon wasn't really Brandon. And Sky wasn't really Sky either.

They were each other.

Brandon was Prince Sky and Prince Sky was Brandon.

That single fact kept repeating over and over in my head and I still couldn't quite comprehend the words.

Bradnon was not who I thought he was. He was actually Prince Sky of Eraklyon.

_And_ he was engaged to another woman that I didn't even have a clue about.

And I attacked her, thinking that she was one of the Trix! When she didn't even have a clue that I existed either!

I feel so ashamed of myself! I can feel my face turning as red as the fire I control when I see Princess Diaspro of Isis confronting him.

I need to get out of here before I do something even more stupid…

* * *

"Who is _that?_" I asked, letting the proper amount of venom seep into my voice as I glared at my fiancé while pointing at the winged redhead who sank to her knees a few feet away.

"_Um…"_ Sky scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Umm… is _not_ an answer, Sky! What the hell just happened with this girl?" I shrieked, finally cracking what little of the calm demeanour I had left.

"I can explain!" He exclaimed, holding his hands out in front of him and backing away slightly.

"_You'd better back away…"_ I thought.

"Explain then." I said, feeling my power surge up within me and red energy gathering at my fingertips.

"Diaspro! Don't do something you'll regret!"

My little sister's voice rang through my ears and I turned to face her as she ran through the stands and towards me in the centre of the auditorium/coliseum like building.

"You're right, Reina. He isn't worth it." I turned to glare at who I am sure will soon be my _ex-_fiancé and de-transformed.

"Let's go. It's going to be a real media circus around here soon and I might say something _very_ un-princess like if I hang around here any longer…" I turned to glare at Sky again before walking off with my arm around my little sister's shoulders and her arm around mine.

* * *

"I can't believe this!" I cried, my head in my hands.

"Neither can I…" I heard Stella's voice near no me.

"There, there… It'll be okay…" Flora lifted my chin up and handed me a hot cup of herbal tea.

"I guess it will be eventually, but I still can't believe what happened, you know?" I said, my voice not sounding like my own.

"He tricked us both!" Stella exclaimed.

"He tricked us all…" Musa corrected.

"_They_ tricked us all…" Tecna corrected Musa.

"Brandon… Or rather… _Sky _was the worst of the two though. I can't believe that he had a fiancée this whole time! And I was really starting to like him like _that,_ you know?" I said.

Stella nodded. "True. I guess I can forgive Brandon for this. I really do like him whether he's a prince or not. And he didn't have another woman while he had me so that counts in his favour…"

"That's true…" Musa nodded.

"Why are we all sitting around here moping? I know we can't leave campus right now due to us being "grounded", but why don't we find something else to do? Like a Girls Night _In?_" Flora suggested.

"Good idea. I need to relax and calm down- or I might do something stupid- even more stupid than breaking into the Day of the Royals…" I said.

"Like roasting Sky alive?" Stella suggested.

I smirked. "Like that, but I do enjoy the thought…"

* * *

"Are you sure that this is a good idea, Sister?" Reina asked me as I sat at my desk to write.

"It may turn out not to be one of my best ideas, but it's something I need to try." I said, reaching for a pen and beginning to glow slightly as I did.

I chose my words carefully as I wrote. I did not want anything in this message to be misunderstood.

Once done, I sealed the letter and summoned a servant to take it to the mail room to be quickly delivered to its recipient. I just hope said recipient actually takes it…

* * *

Sky has tried calling me at least twenty times today and it's only 10 AM. Rather pathetic really…

It's only been about a week or so since the incident and the other Winx and I are now relaxing in the courtyard and trying to decide what to do today ever since we were summoned to Faragonda's office for us to talk before she officially lifted our "grounding".

"I say we go shopping!" Stella exclaimed.

She and Sk-Brandon, dammit (still getting used to the name change…) have kinda-sorta made up. They're not at each other's throats or anything, but they're being civil to one another and hoping to patch things up.

Sky and I on the other hand… I have no wish to see him. At all. Under any circumstances. Some might say I should see him and end things properly, but I'm letting him stew a bit.

Perhaps when I finally do have to face him, I'll stew him literally…

I chuckle at the thought. I've been having rather… _violent _thoughts concerning him recently…

As for the "other" (or rather first) woman I later learned was Diaspro…

I was rather pissed off at her at first, but after getting the chance to cool down and get my thoughts together properly, I realised that she was not to blame for any of this. Sky was the one deceiving us both and I attacked her out of nowhere. She has very much earned the right to call me a lunatic…

I still feel embarrassed at the fact that I thought she was one of the Trix…

"BLOOM!"

I was startled out my thoughts and fell out of the bench I was sitting in.

I glared at Stella who was laughing hysterically at my reaction and Flora, Musa and Tecna who were struggling to hold in their giggles.

"Look in front of you! You've got mail!" Stella pointed at the floating envelope which was glowing red.

"Oh." I got up and brushed myself off and the envelope rose with me.

I reached out to grab it but it opened by itself and continued to float; only now it was displaying a projection of… _Diaspro._ Oh no…

"_Greetings, Bloom of Earth. You already know who I am: Princess Diaspro of Isis. I programmed this envelope so that only your touch could open it- snoopy paparazzi and all- but if this thing is open you obviously got it, so…_

_I wish to set things straight with you. I am not particularly pleased with the way we met and the way we discovered the mutual deception we both suffered. However, it is not entirely your fault. I truly believe this and I wish to set things straight between us. A goodwill gesture if you will as I believe that problems like this cannot be solved with mere words on a paper or empty speeches._

_As such, I am reaching out to you. I wish to invite you to dinner this Saturday evening at The Crystal Rose, one of my favourite high-end five star restauraunts to visit while in Magix. I know you might feel uncomfortable talking with me alone so I also extend the invitation to one of your friends as well. I will be bringing my sister with me, so I advise you to pick a friend to accompany you._

_If you choose to accept this invitation, just hold this envelope and speak your reply and it will get back to me. If not, then I will never contact you again and we can all go our separate ways._

_Signed: Her Royal Highness Diaspro, Crown Princess of Isis."_

I stared at the letter for a few minutes before collecting my thoughts.

"She… wants to reach out to me?" I said incredulously. "After what I did?"

Stella was actually quiet for a moment as she thought it over. "Well, it does kinda sound as if she's really sincere about it and I know if I were her, I wouldn't be able to do this, in official Princess capacity or not…"

"I think you should go." Flora suggested quietly. "I think it is really nice of her to try and get to an understanding with you rather than start screaming at you and blaming you for everything…"

Musa and Tecna nodded their agreement.

I thought it over quickly.

"You're all right. I think I_ should_ meet Princess Diaspro." I made my choice.

"Stella, would you go with me? No offense to the others, but you're the only Princess I know and…"

Stella held up a hand to stop me.

"Say no more, Bloom! Of course I'll go with you _and_ help you prepare! I can make you look like a royal yourself, teach you how to walk like a royal, talk like a royal…"

"In three days?" Tecna raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"Of course!"

I chuckled, turning away from them and speaking my reply.

"_Princess Diaspro, I do accept your gracious invitation and as for my invitee, I choose to bring my friend Stella, Crown Princess of Solaria. I will see you on Saturday._

_Signed: Bloom."_

A touch of my magic and the envelope was sealed and disappeared, probably making its way back to Diaspro.

I just hope I made the right choice there…


	2. Chapter 1

I have a new story up called **_Magix's Next Top Model_,** a parody of America's Next Top Model with Stella as the host! Check my profile to see how your character could be part of it!

* * *

The Crystal Rose was indeed one of the high end restaurants in Magix, Bloom noted as she and Stella walked through the doors. She had never been to any kind of truly fancy restaurant whether on Earth or during her relatively short stay in Magix so she had nothing to compare it to, but to her, the place just oozed classy and expensive.

Brushing down her simple, floor-length shimmery, flowing-sleeved mermaid style silver dress, she glanced at the blonde in the peach, sleeveless knee-length halter-top dress beside her. Stella did not look nearly as nervous as she felt, but then again, Stella wasn't the one about to meet the woman who had been engaged to her pseudo-boyfriend since long before she met him…

"Are you ready, Bloom?" Stella put a reassuring hand on her friend's shoulder and nodded towards a table in a more secluded section of the restaurant. The Princesses of Isis had not yet seen them.

Bloom took a deep breath before answering. "I guess so…" She plucked up her courage and trying to look and feel as confident as Stella did, strode forward.

* * *

Diaspro fiddled with the high collar of her form-fitting, backless, knee-length in front, long behind scarlet dress as she sat with her sister.

"I really hope this goes well…" She muttered.

"Well at least if it doesn't, then you know you tried, right?" Reina said, tugging at the square neckline of her long-sleeved, lilac knee-length dress that complimented her dark purple eyes well.

"Um, _hello…_"

They glanced up to see their guests arrive and seat themselves at the table.

"Ah. Bloom and Princess Stella. Welcome. Please feel free to order whatever you wish. I have no budget here today." Diaspro said.

They nodded as they took up their menus and began to examine them.

"So… This whole issue with Sky and Brandon…" How are you taking it?" Diaspro posed the question to both her guests.

"Well enough, I suppose. I didn't run off crying back to Earth or some other stupid stunt like that…" Bloom took a sip of her water.

"I've heard of girls giving up on their dreams just because a guy gave up on them. That's dumb. Does that imply that a girl can't do things unless she has a man in her life?" Diaspro fiddled with a breadstick.

"Insulting to women's character!" Stella exclaimed.

"Indeed it is…" Bloom agreed.

"So… I see the waiter coming to check on us. Shall we order?" Reina glanced over her shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah we should…" Diaspro said. "Remember, anything you want, Bloom and Princess Stella…"

"You can just drop the Princess and just call me Stella…" She glanced between the two other blondes across the table.

"Fine, if you'll just call me Diaspro..."

"Fair enough…"

The waiter came and took their orders.

"So… What is Alfea like? Reina and I were always tutored in the palace, but I was sort of considering transferring there to be closer to Sky. I still want to transfer there now- just not for him. For me…"

"Oh, Alfea is absolutely wonderful! The teachers are great and I went from having zero control to having… well, more control than I had before…" Bloom said.

"Yeah, but you always have to remember to watch out for Griselda…" Stella piped up.

"Yeah, she can be pretty scary sometimes, but she is only watching out for us…" Bloom pointed out.

"Have you girls ever had, like, really interesting adventures together? I totally wish I could if I went to boarding school with other girls…" Reina said dreamily.

"_If _we've had interesting adventures?" Bloom chuckled. "It's only my first year- and Stella's second first year- and we've been in so many situations already…"

"Most of those thanks to the Trix, but still adventures nevertheless…" Stella added.

"Who are the Trix?" Diaspro asked.

"They're three senior witches at Cloud Tower named Icy, Darcy and Stormy. Or at least, they _were _senior witches there since last we heard, they were expelled after they pretty much tried to kill us in our own school…" Bloom muttered.

"Wait, what? How could I not hear about something like that? I know a few witches at Cloud Tower, plus I have some contacts at Alfea from not only my realm, but several others…"

"I guess they might have only told you if someone died…" Reina suggested. "Especially Lady Gemma. You want to talk about a scary witch? She gives me the chills…" Reina shuddered at the thought.

"A lot of the witches I've met aren't really as bad as you might think. Fairies can be just as terrible at times. It's just that the witches don't bother hiding it like we do…"

"Jodie and her friends don't seem to care about hiding at all. They're the ones who put that spell on me that actually made me upset Musa so much that she took off…" Stella grumbled.

"Would that be Jodie of the Balfura Clan of Lucis? Non-royal, but very rich and powerful family?" Diaspro asked.

"The very same…"

"You know, somehow this discussion isn't as awkward as I thought it would be…" Bloom noted.

The table went silent.

"Or… _maybe not…_"

"No, no. Somehow I don't really… feel that awkward at all…" Diaspro spoke after a while.

"This was certainly unexpected…" Stella agreed. "I kind of expected that bringing up the topic of a cheating fiancé cheating with the girl across the table would kind of make things more awkward…"

"Speaking of that again, how are things with you and Brandon really, if you don't mind my asking?" Diaspro asked.

Stella paused to think. "We weren't really in a relationship per se before all of this came out, but it was getting to that stage. I was extremely pissed off at first, but after a little while, I calmed down and thought things over. This whole situation wasn't entirely his fault after all and having it all revealed in public like that was partially my fault, so we're both owning up to the things we did. We're being civil to each other right now and hopefully… hopefully we can become an official couple in the future…"

"Which brings up another relationship question. You and Sky were in a betrothal agreement, weren't you? What happens if someone breaks that?" Bloom addressed Diaspro.

"I am not quite sure at this point. Each case is different, so people from my planet and his will be meeting to determine that. As much as I would like it, he won't be declared persona non grata on Isis for that. If it were up to me…" Diaspro clenched a fist.

"I guess I can understand you. Setting that prissy hairstyle of his on fire is rather appealing to me right now. I mean, I can understand being attracted to someone else, but being attracted to someone else while engaged and actually trying to act on that? If I had known he was betrothed to you, I would have never agreed to see him like that and I would have certainly done my best not to encourage him…" Bloom thanked the waiter as he brought over their meals and placed hers in front of her.

"I really do want to apologise for my part in this whole thing, Diaspro. I'm not making excuses for myself or anything like that, but when Sky started slacking off on calling me as often as he used to, I wondered if something was happening that I should know about so me and the other Winx decided to sneak into Red Fountain to see what was up... And then for some reason when I saw you, my first impression of you wasn't all that favourable and when you had that picture of Sky I just assumed and… I'm really sorry for jumping to conclusions and attacking you…" The redhead fiddled with her fingers nervously.

Diaspro smiled slightly. "Apology accepted. Now, I have a question. Did this "not calling you thing" start about three weeks before _the incident_?"

"Yes, it did…" Bloom answered.

"No wonder. That was when he found out that our parents were going to be in attendance at The Day of the Royals. My guess he was trying to put some distance in between you and him so neither of us would find out. Obviously that didn't really work…" Diaspro rolled her eyes.

All the girls present at the table laughed.

They spent the rest of the time chatting and learning basic things about each other.

When it was almost time for Bloom and Stella to get back to Alfea, Bloom smiled at the girl she had first thought of as an enemy.

"You know, Diaspro, you're not really so bad after all. You're kind of nice…"

"Nice?" Diaspro scoffed. "Only when I want to be. I've been called bitchy, sneaky… Among other things. The point is, I'm only nice when I feel like it!"

"Damn straight!" Stella laughed.

"Anyway, I know this was an unusual way to meet, but it turns out that I _actually like_ you two, even considering _the incident. _I think I would like to meet the rest of you "Winx Club" girls as soon as you'll have me. I don't think we'll be best of friends just yet or anything like that, but at the very least, you have an ally in me. I can guarantee you that. Plus even though I'll be a year ahead of you at Alfea if (and that's a very likely if at this point), I should at least get to know some of my fellow Alfeans, don't you think?" Diaspro smiled, extending a hand with neat, scarlet-polished fingernails.

"I think so…" Bloom shook her hand and Stella did as well.

"Very well then. Stella will know how to keep in contact with me, so if you want to talk, just ask her…" Diaspro glanced down at her cell phone, which was vibrating in her hand.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I'm being summoned back to our accomodation here in Magix. We will be leaving to return to Isis tomorrow and must get an early start…"

As Diaspro and her sister left the restauraunt, Bloom and Stella also made their own arrangements to return to Alfea via a luxury taxi the restauarunt helped to arrange.

"You know, I actually think I like her, now that I've gotten to talk to her. She's being rather graceful to us about this whole thing and hearing her reputation wouldn't make me think she could be. That girl can play pretty damn dirty when she wants to!" Stella exclaimed as she glanced out a window of the taxi.

"I guess so, but there's a time for playing dirty and there's a time for playing nice. I have to give her props for behaving this civilly towards us though. I know I wouldn't have been able to if I were her…" Bloom said quietly, engrossed in thought.

The two girls exited the taxi and made their way straight up to their dorms since it was almost curfew and found Musa, Tecna and Flora waiting up for them, waiting to hear how their meeting went.

* * *

I know the dialogue was kind of stiff at first, but I'm hoping the stiffness captures the awkwardness that the initial conversation might have. Let me know if I did okay or not in that aspect.

Reminding you about my_** Magix's Next Top Model**_ story. Check it out and see if your character can be part of it!


	3. Chapter 2

"We know she has it! We need to go after her before she knows that and discovers its true potential!" Stormy exclaimed.

"I know that, Stormy. We can't just rush into things though, We'll be exposed and ruined before we even get to do anything!" Icy reminded her.

"We need to use brains to figure out when to use the brawn here. Setting a trap _could _work, but how do we get her alone? Those pesky friends of hers might get in the way!" Darcy said.

"Darcy is right. One wrong move and this could all backfire on us. And I'm sure you don't want to go to prison…" Icy said.

"I get it! I get it! Be careful or else be in prison! Sheesh! I want to wield and experience the sheer power that pesky fairy doesn't even deserve to have! I would raze Alfea to the ground!" Stormy clenched a fist.

"Well, here's one idea…" Darcy held up a newspaper with the headlining story about the Bloom-Sky-Diaspro fiasco.

A smirk worked its way across Icy's face. "Not a bad idea at all, Darcy. Now let's get to work…"

* * *

At Alfea, Bloom and her roommates/friends were having a Girls' Night In. This time, it was Bloom's turn to provide the entertainment, so Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was currently starting to play on a projector DVD player that Tecna had provided.

"This is actually more fun than a date!" Bloom exclaimed.

"You say that now, but when _Singles Blues_ hits you, you'll be singing a different tune!" Stella exclaimed, using magic to paint her nails a glittering lilac.

"It's not exactly like I've been Forever Alone, Stella. I_ have _dated before…" Bloom pointed out.

"Yeah. Besides, it might be best for her to just stay on the single side for a while. Date a guy or two, sure, but she doesn't need to be in a long-term serious thing…" Musa said.

"Yeah. Well I guess if you're not looking for a boyfriend, you can still live it up and have a good time! Stella raised her glass and the other cheered.

The movie progressed and soon the only comments traded were related to it.

Soon enough, it ended and the credits were rolling. In the midst of their discussions of where they might possibly end up if they were Sorted (Bloom- Gryffindor, Flora- Hufflepuff, Tecna- Ravenclaw, Stella and Musa undecided), Bloom's cell phone rang.

"Urgh. It's _him _again…" Bloom rolled her eyes and put back the phone.

"Let it ring off. You don't need to acknowledge his existence…" Tecna waved it off.

The phone kept ringing and ringing, so much so that even Flora and Pumpkin!Mirta who was on a shelf nearby, started to look annoyed.'

"Shall I…_ silence_ him for you?" Musa held up a glowing hand.

"Please let her!" Flora begged.

"No, no. I've always wanted to hear him grovel…" Bloom snickered as she took the phone and answered in another room.

"What do you want, Sky?" Bloom asked.

"Bloom, you've been ignoring my calls this whole time!" Sky exclaimed.

"As I very well should, Sky. What do you want?" Bloom asked dryly.

"I want to explain myself in person!" Sky said. "Can you meet me in Magix Central Park?"

"Seriously, Sky? Why would I want to meet you anywhere in public? Or in private for that matter? What is there to explain? You were engaged to Princess Diaspro before you met me. Explanations not needed."

"I really need to talk to you! Please!" Sky begged.

Bloom smirked. _"Now that's the groveling I wanted to hear…"_ She thought.

"I guess I _could_ meet you. When?" Bloom asked.

After about a minute, she hung up and turned around to see her friends (with Flora holding Pumpkin!Mirta) standing in the doorway.

"You're seriously going to meet him again?" Stella asked incredulously.

"I don't see why not. Besides, I really do want to hear what sort of explanation he has. Just to set things fully straight and move on…" Bloom looked sad for a moment, but quickly shook it off.

"Are you sure?" Flora asked wearily. "For all we know, this could open up a whole new can of worms for you…"

"I have to. Even if I have no desire to date him again, I just need to get a bit of closure. I mean, I really do try to put up a brave front, but…" Bloom hung her head and all the other girls moved in for a group hug.

"Well, Bloom. If it's really what you want, then who are we to stop you?" Stella asked.

Bloom nodded. "Yeah, it's what I want. I agreed to meet him tomorrow afternoon…"

"Good luck with that. Now Bloom, let's get back to our Girls Night In, shall we?" Stella made her manicure supplies float out her room and towards them.

* * *

Bloom walked by herself in Magix Central Park the next afternoon, admiring her surroundings.

She picked a flower and sniffed it, before taking in a deep breath of fresh air.

"I really should come back here more often…" She thought.

"Now, Sky told me to meet him near the edge of the forest…" She tossed aside the flower and waked to the edge of the small forest within the park.

"Sky, Sky? Where are you? You told me to meet you here. Let's cut to the chase, shall we?" Bloom called out.

Sky emerged from the forest, but something was off about him. He was radiating pure evil energy.

"Sky, what's wrong with you?" Bloom asked, sounding worried and backing away slightly.

"Don't worry about me, Bloom. Why don't we get down to business like you said, huh?"

Before Bloom could react, Sky had cast a spell, blasting her through the forest.

The red-headed fairy groaned as she attempted to push herself to her feet, stumbling slightly.

"Sky? What's the matter with y- Wait a minute, Sky can't cast spells like that! Who the hell are you?" Bloom's fists became aflame.

"A little slow but her. It_ is_ your precious Sky, but he's under _my _control…"

Darcy floated down behind him, eyes glowing and gloating as she looked at the shocked fairy.

Icy and Stormy appeared behind her, gloating similarly.

Darcy relinquished her hold on Sky and threw him aside.

"Now then. You have something we want, Bloom dear…" Icy said.

"There's no way in hell I'm giving you anything! You're wicked and cruel! FLAME BLITZ!"

Several fire balls surrounded her and blasted off in random directions, setting some tree branches on fire and hitting the witches, making them scream in pain.

As they were distracted, Bloom ran off as fast as she could, transforming as soon as she could, taking only a brief stop to do so.

"Oh no you don't!" Several icicles appeared behind her in the air which Bloom only narrowly dodged, zig-zagging through the air, weaving between the trees.

"Come on, come on, Bloom! You can get away! Come on, wings! Fly faster!" Bloom chanted.

* * *

At Cloud Tower, Miss Griffin was looking through a bunch of applications for the incoming Freshman class.

"_Let's see… _Alaia of Aafeje, Nadora of Umbra and Yuna of Romulea… All deserving of admission and scholarships for sure…"

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in…" Miss Griffin didn't even look up.

"Madam Griffin, you have a visitor who says it's very important that they see you now…" professor Zarathurstra steppedin.

"It's not someone else appealing an admissions decision or seeking a transfer here, are they?" Griffin asked.

"No…" Zarathurstra stepped aside and allowed a rather frightened looking Knut, with Pepe on his shoulder to step into the room.

"_You?_ What do you want?" Griffin asked tersely.

"He says he's got a warning for us about the Trix…" Professor Ediltrude stepped in behind him, shutting the door.

"Oh?" Griffin raised an eyebrow.

"Yes I do indeed! The Trix have come up with a terrible scheme to take over Magix and this is no empty talk either. I heard them say that they knew who had the Dragon's Flame and that they were going to get it today! I only found out an hour ago when they left their hiding place so I got here as soon as I could!" Knut exclaimed.

"What?" Griffin exclaimed in surprise. "Who is it they were talking about?"

"It was a fairy named Bloom, ma'am. I heard them say that she was actually not from Earth, but is the lost Princess of Domino and keeper of the Dragon's Flame!"

"Are you absolutely sure?" Griffin tensed.

"Absolutely. Run a Lie Detection spell o me now if you want. This girl Bloom is going to be in some serious trouble!" Knut exclaimed.

"He's telling the truth and he's not under any spells, Professor Griffin…" Zarathurstra confirmed.

"This is not good. Put the school under high security alert just in case and I'll warn Faragonda and Saladin…" Griffin stood up.

* * *

"Well then, Princess Diaspro. I do believe your papers are in order and you have remarkably high grades in all your subjects so I will be happy to admit you as a transfer student this upcoming academic year…" Faragonda smiled at Diaspro, who was sitting across from her, also smiling.

Just then, the crystal ball on her desk began to flash.

"You may go and have a look around the school now, if you like…" Faragonda dismissed her.

Diaspro quickly made her way down to the courtyard and immediately spotted Stella and the others.

"Hey, I like your outfit, Diaspro!" Stella complimented.

Diaspro was dressed in a burgundy waist coat over a black vest, black skinny jeans, burgundy open-toe heels and her hair was held back with a burgundy headband.

"Thanks Stella!" Diaspro smiled. "Of course people like us must always have style!"

"You know it!" Stella laughed. "So how did it go?" Stella asked, scooting over on the bench to give Diaspro a place to sit.

"I will be joining you all as a Junior student next year!" Diaspro smiled.

"Congratulations!" Flora said.

"Indeed, though the likelihood of your transfer request being denied was 0% anyway…" Tecna added.

Stella rolled her eyes. "You and your statistics, Tecna…"

"So… Why don't you… Wait, where's Bloom?" Diaspro looked around.

"She said Sky wanted to explain himself to her so she went to meet him over at Magix Central Park…" Musa answered.

"_Hm._ Well then. I'd love to hear his reasoning too… He hasn't tried contacting me recently…" Diaspro frowned.

"Maybe he will and is trying to come up with a way to do so?" Flora suggested.

"Plus I can't imagine your parents looking too favourably at dealing with him right now…" Tecna added.

"There could be an embargo on any mail addressed to you or calls from Eraklyon. It's always a possibility for a myriad of reasons…" Stella suggested.

"You know, you _could_ be right, Stella… They might not want me to be upset even more by this so Mother and Father might have stopped anything from him getting to me. Maybe they think that I might do something to jeopardize the proceedings over our broken marriage contract, but they could have at least told me _something…_" Diaspro frowned even more.

Griselda came running over to them, several other students in the courtyard looking at her oddly.

"Girls, where is Bloom?" She asked urgently.

"She's supposed to be at Magix Central Park with Sky. Why, is there something wrong, Miss Griselda?" Stella asked.

"You need to find her and get her back here _as soon as possible. _We've just received information that she could be in serious danger from the Trix right now!" Griselda said.

The younger fairies all stood up suddenly.

"WHAT?" They all exclaimed in unison.

"You heard me! Find her and bring her back here now!" Griselda ran back into the building.

"I'm coming with you!" Diaspro declared. "If Bloom attacked me like that thinking that I was one of these Trix, I can't imagine what the real ones must be like!"

"Enough chatting then. Let's go! Stella, MAGIC WINX!" Stella was the first to transform.

"Let's go, let's go, let's go!" Stella was out in front as they flew off towards Magix Central Park.

* * *

Meanwhile, Bloom was putting up quite a fight against the Trix.

Darcy threw some energy blasts at her, but Bloom surrounded herself with her protective shield and they fizzled out on impact.

The darkness witch growled in frustration.

Stormy shrieked as she sent bolt after bolt of lightning at the shield, but it still wouldn't break.

Inside the shield, Bloom was beginning to feel tired. _"I need to hold out. Whatever it is that they want from me, they can't have it…"_

Just then, the three witches launched a convergence attack that obliterated the shield, knocking her straight out of the sky, crashing through treetop branches.

Her mind went foggy as soon as she hit the ground and the wind was knocked right out of her.

"_No, no, no. I can't pass out now…" _She thought, trying to struggle to her feet.

As soon as she was up on her feet, however, she went blind courtesy of one of Darcy's spells.

"No!" She cried out.

"How about… _yes!_" Stormy shrieked in her twisted delight as she sent each lightning bolt towards the fairy, enough to cause extreme pain and do some damage, but not kill.

Bloom could hear nothing else through her screams of pain.

The pain, it consumed her, like a fire she couldn't control…

She broke out in a sweat and was screaming to the point of starting to feel hoarse when she felt herself being hoisted into the air and frozen to a tree.

"Looks like we're getting what we want after all, sisters…" icy laughed.

"What do you want from me?" Bloom asked, de-transforming out of weakness and coughing up blood.

"Us? We want your power, Bloom. The mighty Dragon's Flame. Your source of power and the most powerful kind of magic in our universe, Princess…" bloom could hear Icy step closer to her and felt when the ice witch lifted her chin up roughly with cold, taloned hands.

"_P… P… Princess?"_ Bloom coughed.

"But of course! Your Royal Highness Princess Bloom of Domino, the host planet of the Great Dragon. The last in the royal line of the formerly great powerful kingdom and heiress to the throne since dear older sister Daphne was killed in the Downfall of Domino…" Icy sighed as if in thought.

"_No._ No way…" Bloom thought as she drifted in and out of consciousness.

"There's no… no… no… I can't be a _princess!_" She wheezed.

"Too bad you think so. Sisters, it's time!" Bloom could hear them uttering a chant and three powerful sources of magic she felt surround her, connected to each of the Trix's own magic.

She felt her magic draining away as they chanted…

* * *

"Where could she possibly be in this park?!" Musa wondered aloud.

"How about over there?!" Flora pointed towards the small forest section of the park where they could now feel several surges of powerful dark magic come from.

When they got there, the powerful dark magic that they had felt was mostly gone- they could still feel traces of it.

Compared to the rest of the park, it was extremely dark in there so Stella activated and lit up her sceptre and led the way as they searched.

Each fairy had a spell on their lips, ready to cast as soon as they needed it.

As they walked, they paid careful attention to their surroundings, looking for any clues that Bloom or the Trix could be nearby.

"Charred branches… Bloom was here…" Flora touched a tree.

"Icicles going _through _the branches, Icy was definitely here too…" Musa added.

Diaspro's booted foot connected with something that didn't feel anything like a forest floor and when she looked down, she half-skidded, half-flew back in horror, letting out a small scream.

Sky lay on the forest floor, unconscious. While he did not look too beat up physically, there were heavy traces of dark magic spells being cast on him that were almost to a toxic level that made her feel ill.

"Diaspro, what's the ma- oh goodness…" Musa trailed off as she followed the gemstone fairy's line of sight.

The other girls soon noticed this and flew over.

Tecna held a scanner she conjured over him and it swept him in a green beam of light.

"He's alive, but some pretty toxic dark spells have been cast on him…" Tecna declared.

"I'll stay with him. You girls go find Bloom!" Diaspro said.

"But what if the Trix come back?" Flora asked.

"Then I can at least try to hold them off until help arrives. _Go!_ Look for your friend!" Diaspro insisted.

Stella nodded. "Right. Let's go girls…" She and the others flew off.

Diaspro sat on the forest floor and placed Sky's head on her lap, her wings glowing softly in the dark and flapping slightly.

"Sky, I know you violated our betrothal agreement and I did have some measure of feelings for you. I have been trained my entire life to marry you and become your Queen. So naturally, I felt hurt at what you did. But… I would _never _wish this on you. I know I can be spiteful, mean and maybe even bitch sometimes but… I can only hope Bloom is okay…" She sighed.

A few minutes later, she heard a horrified scream from Flora and Stella growling loudly in what seemed to be a fit of rage.

"THIS MEANS WAR! THE TRIX ARE NEVER GOING TO GET AWAY WITH DOING THIS TO OUR FRIEND!" The Solarian princess' voice screeched furiously.

Apprehensive, Diaspro cast a levitation spell on Sky's unconscious body, commanding it to follow behind her as she flew towards the screams.

Her stomach did a few somersaults when she saw the state that Bloom was in.

Battered, bloodied, scratched up, bruised… and she couldn't feel any magic aura coming from her. It was as if they had destroyed Bloom's magic…

Being a princess, while she knew things like this happened on a regular basis, she had been kept away from such things and never saw it firsthand.

Now she wished she hadn't.

Stella was muttering every swear word she knew under the Solarian suns as she used her sceptre to melt the ice keeping her unconscious friend frozen to a tree while Flora and Musa caught Bloom when she fell.

Tecna ran her scan again. "Bloom's in pretty bad shape. She's beyond any sort of help we can give her. I've already summoned it…"

As if to prove her words, Miss Faragonda, Griselda, Saladin, Cordatorta and a few medical personnel from Magix Central Hospital arrived in a flash of light.

One medical person took over the levitation spell from Diaspro over Sky and laid him on a stretcher while the others carefully levitated Bloom onto another.

"This means war, I tell you… WAR!" Stella raged, even with Flora trying to calm her down- thought the nature fairy was now also furious instead of horrified so that probably wasn't helping…

"I declared Bloom an ally of mine. When I said that, I_ meant_ it. Any attack on a person, family or group/institution that Isis' royal family deems an ally will be treated as an act of war. So Stella, I'm with you on that…" Diaspro too, was fighting to control her anger.

"In more ways than one, unfortunately…" Miss Faragonda said grimly. "We need to go back to our school and devise a plan of action. I will explain once we are safe at Alfea…" The headmistress of the fairy school clapped her hands and all fairies were transported to Alfea's courtyard, where several students were, even though it was coming on close to nightfall.

They started to mutter amongst themselves as they saw the transformed fairies Follow Faragonda and Griselda, all with grim or furious expressions on their faces and unaware of the major drama about to unfold.


	4. Chapter 3

"Father, Mother, we need to speak _now._" Diaspro flew into the throne room of Isis' royal palace, de-transforming only when she landed directly in front of the King and Queen, effectively cutting off the conversation they had been having.

"Diaspro, aren't you supposed to be in Magix still?" Queen Vashti asked.

"Never mind that! What do you think you're doing, barging in here like that?" King Midas asked in outrage.

"Father, you need to listen to me and we can argue later! We are all in serious danger!" Diaspro exclaimed.

"What are y-" Midas was cut off by his wife putting a gentle arm on his shoulder.

"Dear, we should let her say what she has to. You can rant afterwards…"

"Thank you, Mother. Listen to me. Both of you! While I was in Magix taking care of my Alfea transfer, Bloom as attacked by a trio of witches called the Trix!"

"That same girl who attacked you out of nowhere? I could never understand why you made her your ally. Why should I care?" King Midas frowned.

Diaspro narrowed her eyes. "_We _should care because that girl is no ordinary girl. It turns out that she's the last Princess of Domino and the keeper of the Dragon's Flame. Or at least, she _was_ since in that attack it was stolen from her…"

Both monarchs sat up straight.

"_What?!" _Midas exclaimed in shock.

"I know! I'm just as surprised as you are, Father. What I'm getting at now is that these Trix plan on using Bloom's stolen powers to wreak havoc and start a war to take control of Magix and the other realms! We don't know where or when they'll strike first so we have to be ready!"

Midas took a moment to consider his daughter.

"Fine. I will step up security on our planet and advise all our allies to do the same." Midas stood up and strode quickly out of the room.

Vashti stepped down and walked over to her daughter, putting her hands on the younger female's shoulder.

"I must admit that I was appalled that you choose Bloom… _Princess_ Bloom as an ally, but I guess it worked out for you after all?"

Diaspro stepped away from her mother, looking at her oddly. "I didn't choose her because I had any idea of who she truly was. I chose her because I saw another woman scorned. And right now, she can help no one in her state so we have to help ourselves. Now if you'll excuse me, I promised I would catch up with Princess Stella of Solaria after I told you what I had to say…"

The Princess of Isis turned on her heel and walked briskly out the door.

* * *

Stella sat in the room of the Magix Central Hospital that Bloom currently occupied, watching her red-headed friend sleep.

Just the day before, Bloom had had the crap beaten out of her by the Trix and had her magic stolen, something which Stella considered to be a fate worse than death.

What was also bad was that she was the one who had to go back to Gardenia and tell Bloom's parents about what had happened to her.

Mike and Vanessa Peters had both been horrified at Stella's tale of what happened to Bloom. However, while Vanessa fully blamed the Trix as she rightfully should have, Mike blamed _her._

Of all the nonsense!

_She_ let this happen, _she_ could have stopped it, if _she_ had never come to Earth in the first place, none of this "terrible, crazy magic nonsense" would have happened and Bloom would be a normal human girl, not some lost fairy princess…

Stella had come_ this_ close to blasting him with her sceptre. Instead, right in the middle of his hurtful rant, Stella decided to teleport back to Magix before she did anything she would regret and checked in with her father since she had told him about what had happened before she even left for Earth.

Glancing at her friend again, she sighed. At least magic was a better healer than the non-magical healing methods of Earth. Plus this hospital was one of the best in the realm. Bloom would be fine physically eventually. Magically and psychologically?

Stella couldn't tell.

* * *

Back at Alfea, the mood was tense. Some of the parents and guardians of the young fairies who had heard about what could happen had come to the school to fetch their daughters and take them back to their home realms.

While Flora's Tecna's and Musa's parents had not yet arrived, Stella's father had tried to send some guards to take her home, but she had put up much more than a protest into being allowed to stay…

The three remaining members of the Winx Club currently there were discussing the current situation with Pumpkin!Mirta in the centre of the coffee table that they were sitting around.

"The wait… It's always the hardest part…" Flora sighed.

"I know. We know the Trix are probably going to attack us, so why are they waiting?" Musa asked.

"It's only been a day or so. They're probably planning somethi-" Tecna was cut off by an earthquake and the screams of several people on campus.

"Yeah… Let's go see what's happening!" Musa was the first out the door.

Once in the courtyard, they saw several students and parents running back inside as the sky grew quickly dark.

"Something disrupted the magic field around Magix! No one can leave or enter the realm!" Ortensia cried.

"Not good! No help can get to us from our home realms!" Katy exclaimed.

Tecna's phone rang and she answered as they ran back inside.

"Is it me or did things get super dark, super quickly?" Stella's projection hovered over the phone, showing her standing outside the hospital.

"It's not just you. It's here at Alfea too. Major magic disruption. No one can get in or out of the realm!" Tecna said.

"No kidding! My sceptre won't even teleport me back to Alfea!" Stella twirled the sceptre in one hand.

"You'll have to fly back then, but do it quick!" Musa butted in.

Stella nodded. "I'll be back as soon as I can!" She ended the call.

They all ran towards the auditorium where Miss Faragonda was just beginning to speak.

"Everyone! Everyone! Calm down and listen to me! The Trix have disrupted the magic field around Magix. No one can get in or out of this realm so that means we are all stuck here. We are going to have to work together to get out of this. There's no way to sugarcoat it. The Trix could attack at any time and by the looks of it, that's going to happen soon." Miss Faragonda said.

"What do you expect us to do? Fight? We're not soldiers!" A girl with ling, dark purple hair and bangs that hid her light grey eyes slightly asked.

"If it comes to that you may have to but we're going to have to work together in different areas to survive, Jodie. We may need ground fighters, air defense, healers, potioneers, tacticians…"

"But like Jodie said, we're not soldiers. Many of us here haven't even earned our Charmix yet and even fewer of us have Enchantix!" Francine piped up.

"Exactly! How can we put our daughters at risk like this?" One mother asked.

"By working with them to survive until more help can get through." Stella stepped into the room in fairy mode, sceptre activated and several Solarian soldiers behind her.

"Miss Faragonda, may I?" Stella gestured to the podium. The headmistress nodded and stepped aside.

"Thank you. Listen to me, people. These guys you see behind me are some of the soldiers from my planet that managed to arrive before inter-realm travel was disrupted. Others are scattered around the city and at other schools alongside soldiers from other planets and realms. Thanks to the advance warnings that we got and passed along, we stand a good chance of surviving!" Stella exclaimed.

"I agree. We can totally do this!" Ahisa cheered.

Several of the other students began to cheer as well, Winx included.

Miss Faragonda smiled as she re-took the podium with Stella standing aside.

"Right now, we need to focus on defense. Those of you who are good at shields, charms and runes, transform and get to work!" Faragonda instructed.

Several fairies transformed- including some of the mothers and other female guardians that came to collect their charges and flew back outside to get to work.

* * *

"They think their protection spells can stand up to _our_ Dragon Flame? Ha!" Icy chortled.

"As if…" Darcy joined in the laughter.

"Let's see if they still think that when we're done with them!" Stormy declared.

"How about we send a couple creatures their way while we go look for a new base, huh?" Darcy put a hand on the crystal ball that they were watching Alfea thorough and her sisters joined in, laughing evilly as they did.

* * *

Just as the fairies on campus had put up their enchantments to protect the school- alongside any others on campus who could, they began to hear screeches and noises.

"What the hell is that?" Katy's cat-ears twitched.

Musa used her sonic hearing. "Sounds like creatures approaching!"

"Looks like them too!" Stella and Flora exclaimed, pointing towards the sky.

"I guess the fight is finally here, girls!" Tecna's fists began to glow.

"BATTLE STATIONS!" Someone else shouted.

The fairies took to the skies and positioned themselves around various parts of the school.

Stella twirled her sceptre as she flew near one of the towers.

"Bloom, I sure hope you get your powers back somehow because these creatures do _not_ look very pleasant…" Stella thought aloud as her sceptre began to glow, ready for a fight.


End file.
